Contact: Jon Pittam, Contact Ext: (01962) 847400 Email: [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 Cabinet agreed in September 2004 that the County Council should continue discussions individually with Hampshire district councils with a view to reaching agreement on the shared use of additional income from reducing the council tax discount on second homes in the relevant district council area.

1.2 This report provides an update on discussions with district council officers in Hampshire districts about the use of the additional income raised in 2004/05 in those areas. It is recommended that:

· approval is granted for the continuation of the East Hampshire Homebuy scheme as a taxable benefit

· approval is granted for the continuation of the New Forest Homebuy scheme as a taxable benefit and that Cabinet confirms its priorities for how the income raised in the New Forest should be split between Homebuy and other keyworker schemes as set out in paragraph 5.4

· approval is granted for the development of a similar scheme in the Test Valley area

· consideration is given to the use of £200,000 in 2005/06 later in the year when progress on both the County Council's use of its own sites for affordable housing schemes and the Government's support to help more keyworkers, social tenants and first time buyers are clearer.

2 Reason

2.1 Decisions are required on the use of the additional income in 2004/05, and in the future on the use of £200,000 reserved in 2005/06.

2.2 Use of the income for affordable housing schemes meets aim 5 of the corporate strategy (improving services) and in particular the fourth short-term cabinet priority of improving affordable housing and will also assist with aim 6 (developing councillors and staff) in the recruitment and retention of staff.

3 Other options considered and rejected:

3.1 To use the income for purposes other than Homebuy.

4 Conflicts of interest declared by the decision maker or a member or officer consulted

4.1 Not applicable.

5 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee

5.1 Not applicable.

6 Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent

6.1 Not applicable.

Approved by: ................................... ... Date: .........................

Councillor T K Thornber, CBE